Flu clinics are a familiar part of the general practice calendar, but are they becoming increasingly difficult for practices to deliver? In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back Claire Houston from Practice Index and new guest Nicki Walker, Practice Manager in Rhyl, to discuss the challenges facing practices during this year's flu vaccination campaign. They explore vaccine supply, consent requirements, the changing role of community pharmacies and, importantly, whether the current funding makes delivering flu vaccinations financially sustainable for general practice. They also share practical advice for making this year's clinics run as smoothly as possible. The challenges facing flu clinics this year (02:07) Vaccine supply and the impact of recent changes (04:05) Confusion around consent and vaccination guidance (07:05) Where practice managers can find clearer guidance (11:39) The changing role of community pharmacies (12:31) Is delivering flu vaccinations still financially viable? (15:55) Why practices are considering opting out of flu vaccinations (18:56) Could general practice be pushed out of delivering flu vaccinations? (22:48) Top tips for running successful flu clinics (24:24) Prior planning, preparation and keeping the team positive (24:36) To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here. For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.
Where are neighbourhoods taking general practice, and what does this mean for Primary Care Networks? In this episode, Ben is joined by Ceri Chaplin, Managing Partner at Hereford Medical Group, and Robert McCartney, Partner at Hempsons, to discuss the latest NHS England neighbourhood proposals and what they could mean for practices. They explore the changing role of PCNs, funding and locally enhanced services, governance, relationships between practices, and why now is the time for practices to prepare for what comes next. What exactly is a neighbourhood? (00:27) How different areas are approaching neighbourhoods (02:13) What does the NHS England consultation tell us? (04:14) Funding, contracts and potential risks for practices (05:15) Are neighbourhoods simply the next stage of PCNs? (07:05) What could changes mean for practices and PCN funding? (09:07) What should practices be doing now? (15:20) Governance, incorporation and preparing for new contracts (16:33) The challenge of difficult PCN relationships (18:00) Why practices need to act now (20:20) Should practices respond to the consultation? (20:43) The opportunities neighbourhood working could bring (21:32) Shifting care into primary and community care (23:02) For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.
This week, Ben is joined by Katie Collin, Partner at Ramsay Brown, to discuss NHS England's consultation on Single Neighbourhood Provider contracts and Multi-Neighbourhood Provider contracts. They explore what the proposed contracts could mean for GP practices, PCNs and federations, including the potential impact on funding, governance and locally commissioned services. Katie explains the different contract options, whether PCNs should consider incorporation, and the potential role of federations and collaboratives as MNPs. The discussion also looks at the opportunities and risks of shifting more services into primary care, and why strong governance, transparency and financial planning will be essential as neighbourhood working develops. With the consultation still underway, Katie shares her thoughts on what practices and PCNs should be considering now. Introduction (00:08) The NHS England consultation on neighbourhood provider contracts (00:30) Why the consultation is a positive step for general practice (00:51) Single Neighbourhood Provider contracts: what do they mean for GPs? (03:57) PCN DES vs a local variation: understanding the options (05:47) Could locally commissioned services move through PCNs? (08:39) The financial implications for GP practices (09:00) What the IIF taught us about collective funding (11:01) Why PCN governance could become more important than ever (13:40) Should PCNs consider incorporation? (15:29) The benefits of incorporation and stronger governance (15:57) What are Multi-Neighbourhood Providers (MNPs)? (18:16) Could MNPs create new opportunities for general practice? (20:18) The risks of following the funding into primary care (21:38) How can federations and collaboratives fit into the new model? (23:37) Why governance and transparency will be critical (25:06) What should PCNs and practices do next? (26:03) Visit Katie on Linkedin here, or email Katie directly here. Visit the Ramsay Brown website here. For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.
Integrated neighbourhood working has been talked about for years, but what does it actually look like when it's put into practice? In this episode, Ben Gowland is joined by Bobby Pozzoni-Child, Director of Partnerships and Transformation for the Buckinghamshire Primary Care Provider Collaborative. Bobby explains how Buckinghamshire has evolved from a GP Provider Alliance into a truly integrated primary care collaborative, bringing together general practice, community pharmacy, dentistry and optometry to create a stronger collective voice and deliver better care. If you're interested in neighbourhood health, integration, system leadership or the future role of primary care, this episode offers practical lessons from a system that's already making it happen. Introduction (00:08) Why Buckinghamshire expanded beyond general practice (01:29) Bringing GPs, pharmacies, dentists and optometrists together (02:41) Creating a stronger voice for primary care across the system (04:31) Why neighbourhood working needs relationships and delivery (06:05) How Buckinghamshire is turning collaboration into action (08:01) Building neighbourhood teams and local leadership (10:23) Keeping practices engaged as neighbourhoods grow (11:45) Delivering measurable results through integrated working (14:27) How attitudes towards primary care are changing (16:49) From planning neighbourhoods to delivering care (18:51) Why Bucks isn't waiting for national contracts (20:57) Lessons learned from leading system-wide integration (22:40) Why expanding to wider primary care was the right move (25:59) For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.
In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back Robyn Clark and Ed Kennedy to discuss the new "return to good" inspections, how they differ from previous CQC visits, and why many practice managers feel these are now effectively practice manager inspections. Ed shares his first-hand experience of being among the first practices inspected under the new approach, while Robyn discusses the wider concerns being raised by practice managers across the country. Together they explore the benefits, challenges and practical steps practices can take to prepare, as well as the growing recognition of practice managers as leaders within the NHS. The new CQC inspection model explained (02:31) Ed's experience of being one of the first practices inspected (04:27) Why these are becoming "practice manager inspections" (05:43) The benefits and limitations of the new approach (07:07) Can practices improve their CQC rating? (07:52) Why inspector consistency remains a major concern (11:45) The increasing pressure on practice managers (14:23) Practical advice to prepare for a CQC inspection (16:18) Key compliance areas inspectors are focusing on (17:08) What to do if you disagree with your inspection report (21:45) Practice managers influencing national NHS policy (22:41) How the role of practice manager is gaining national recognition (24:18) Listen back to a Practice Index – Navigating CQC Inspections with Confidence feating Kay Keane here. To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here. For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.